Colorful activities mark National Day in HCMC

Vietnam’s most populous city, Ho Chi Minh City, is organizing many colorful activities to celebrate National Day on September 2.

Morning of August 31, a preliminary ceremony to review two years of a campaign to collect and donate personal artifacts of late President Ho Chi Minh at the Museum of Ho Chi Minh was held.

The campaign has received enthusiastic support from a majority of people throughout the country and in just two years, there has been a collection of 444 documents and valuable artifacts.

Some of the documents and artifacts awarded was a shirt presented to wounded soldier Le Thong Nhut by Uncle Ho or the ID card of the first former Deputy Minister of Justice Nguyen Van Huong manually typed by Uncle Ho.

There are artifacts betraying people's deep feelings for the leader as the radio of family Nguyen Ba Hoa that Hoa used to hear Uncle Ho reading his poetry during Tet. This was also the same radio on which the whole family heard the news of Uncle Ho’s death in 1969.

On this occasion, the Ho Chi Minh Museum coordinated with the Photography Association of Thua Thien-Hue Province to organize a photo and art contest with the theme ‘President Ho Chi Minh and Thua Thien-Hue’.

The work titled ‘Collecting Stamps of Uncle Ho’ by Dang Van Tran won the first prize.

The same day, Phu Nhuan and Tan Phu Districts held a ceremony to celebrate National Day and awarded Party medals.

On August 31, the People's Committee and Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City hosted a banquet to celebrate the 67th anniversary of National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of the HCMC People's Committee Le Hoang Quan expressed his trust that the consul generals, consuls, the chief representatives of friendly countries, international organizations and foreign non-governmental organizations will always act as a solid bridge in promoting the relationship between the international community and Vietnam in general and HCMC in particular.

Before that, on the same morning, the Union of Friendship Organizations in Ho Chi Minh City held a meeting with foreign diplomatic corps to celebrate the 67th anniversary of the National Day of Vietnam.

Furthermore, 104 of the best photos chosen from 1,594 entries at the 37th HCMC Art Photograph Festival 2012 will be displayed at the HCMC Photography Association at 122 Suong Nguyet Anh Street from September 1. The photos depict the country and its people as well as outstanding construction works across the country under the themes ‘Freedom’ and ‘New Rural Area’.

Dong Lan, a talented contestant from the current popular reality show ‘Voice of Vietnam’, will add more color to the holiday through her show titled ‘Je t’aime’ at We Lounge on Le Quy Don Street in District 3 on September 1. The performer, who has impressed the jury of ‘The Voice’ and audiences with her bohemian style and unique voice, will sing original tracks including ‘Chú Cừu Nhỏ’ (Little Sheep), ‘Sợ Chết’ (Scared of Death) and other songs from her upcoming album. Tickets will cost VND300,000 and are available at the venue.

A day later, a live show of the Vietnamese Billboard chart ‘Bai Hat Yeu Thich’ (Favorite Songs) will be held at Lan Anh Stage at 291 Cach Mang Thang 8 Street. The show will feature numerous well-known young voices like Uyen Linh, Van Mai Huong, Quuoc Thien, Noo Phuoc Thinh and Dinh Manh Ninh, and will take place at 9pm and broadcast live on VTV3.

HCMC will also have fireworks displays at 9pm on September 2 at the Thu Thiem Tunnel area in District 2 and Dam Sen Park in District 11.

In addition, Dam Sen theme park will offer many programs for visitors on September 1 and 2, including comedy shows, music performances, and drama plays for children.